Food and water inside coop or outside coop? Pros? Cons?

[stewartfamof5]

I have a large area sectioned off in the yard for the ladies to graze all day long. I am also converting part of my Shed into my coop. (Sorry I have not been able to load pictures) Last winter the girls stayed in the coop days on end when it snowed and weather was a little cooler than they like. My thought is to move the food and water to the run where it would be covered from the weather to encourage them to get it and poop less in the coop! I live in Columbus Ohio, so we get the 90 degree summers, and the winters can be below freezing for several days as well. Has anyone tried this? Success? Worst decision ever?

Jonathan

 

[1cheepchick]

I just did something similar with my birds. I have them in a temporary setting right now since my coop is not done and they dump all their food out in it all the time. I have been taking them out to a temporary run in the yard everyday and sprinkling scratch out there for them. It was not working as well as I wanted since I think they were ignoring the scratch and not getting enough real food too so I took a used gallon water jug cut out the sides and put their food in it out in the run so now they get good protein along with the grass seed and other bugs out there. I will still offer food in the inside coops but using the jugs instead of flat feeders so they won't be able to turn them over and make an even bigger mess.

 

[stewartfamof5]

Exactly, I am just thinking from a mess stand point, if it is outside the coop I don't worry near as much about it! I have spent a good amount of time completing this new section of a coop, and just don't want all of the moisture from the water getting into the feed over the winter. Plus if the food is on the ground outside rather than the sand inside, they can find the food outside instead of inside.

Jonathan